How to Remove Zip4NewTab Redirect

Can’t Remove Zip4NewTab hijacker virus? This page includes detailed Zip4NewTab Removal instructions!

If your browser’s homepage was mysteriously replaced by the Zip4NewTab page, we have bad news for you. Your browser is infected with a hijacker. The Zip4NewTab hijacker is a malicious ad-generating application. It is programmed to inject banners, in-text adverts, and hyperlinks on every website you open. Basically, for every advert you click on, the owners of the app will get paid. They will be even better paid for every website you get redirected to. So, their creation can also redirect your browser automatically. Hence, the name, Zip4NewTab Redirect. It doesn’t matter how you call it, hijacker or redirect, your situation remains the same — extremely unpleasant. The hijacker will drown you in a sea of commercials. But not just any kind of ads. This app knows you. It can select appealing commercials. How is this possible, you may ask?! Well, the hijacker is spying on you. It tracks your online related data and uses the collected information against you. Thus, if you type “sneakers” into some search engine, the hijacker will start displaying coupons and discounts for sports shoes. Yet, the hijacker may misinterpret your actions and display inappropriate content too. Also, keep in mind that the Incognito mode of your browser will not stop the hijacker. You cannot hide from its watchful eye. The collected information on you, however, is not used for marketing purposes only. Can you guess what the hijacker does with it? It sells it to third parties, of course. All sorts of crooks and even hackers may become in possession of the data. They can use this info and the hijacker to target you with commercials and scam campaigns. Be extra careful and don’t trust a word you read online while the hijacker remains active on your machine. Remove this intruder immediately.

How did I get infected with?

The Zip4NewTab can be downloaded from all official add-on stores. Yet, there are many PC users who have no idea how this pest got on their machines. We are not surprised. The hijacker uses stealth installation and a lot of trickery to reach its victims. It usually hitches a ride with other software. Setup files that install more than one program are called software bundle.  Be extremely careful when you are installing a program. It may have been bundled with other apps. Unfortunately, it is not just the Zip4NewTab hijacker that uses software bundles. Other, quite dangerous, viruses are a distributed via this technique. Whenever you are installing an app, opt for the Advanced/Custom installation option. It can be a button or tab. This process is sometimes described as a suitable choice for IT experts only. This is not true. The Advanced Installation is a simple, step-by-step setup wizard. Just like the standard option. The only difference is that under the Advanced, you will be given the opportunity to deselect all unwanted programs that have arrived in the software bundle. Examine the extras carefully. They can be malicious. Read the Terms and Conditions/EULA. If you spot anything out of the ordinary, abort the installation. Also, keep in mind that you can deselect all extras and still install the program you originally planned to set up. This is your computer after all. You decide what to be installed on it. Always do your due diligence. Other malware distribution methods include the good old spam emails, torrent, and fake software updates. Your caution can prevent these techniques from succeeding!

Why is this dangerous?

The Zip4NewTab hijacker is extremely annoying. With every passing day, it only gets more aggressive. If you don’t remove it promptly, it will make you avoid your own computer. Unfortunately, the hijacker is more than a simple nuisance. This parasite hides more dangers than you might think. The Zip4NewTab hijacker does not verify the adverts it displays so freely. An unverified advertisement may arouse unwarranted expectations at best. At worst, it may download a virus or malware on your PC. One click is all it takes for a virus to be downloaded. You don’t need to do anything for a parasite to enter your OS, actually. The hijacker may redirect you to infected websites. Don’t wait for this scenario to unfold. Remove the parasite as soon as possible. The Zip4NewTab hijacker can be removed either manually or automatically. We have provided a detailed removal guide below this article. If you are a fan of automated solutions, however, download a trustworthy anti-virus app and run a full-system scan.

How to Remove Zip4NewTab virus

The Zip4NewTab infection is specifically designed to make money to its creators one way or another. The specialists from various antivirus companies like Bitdefender, Kaspersky, Norton, Avast, ESET, etc. advise that there is no harmless virus.

If you perform exactly the steps below you should be able to remove the Zip4NewTab infection. Please, follow the procedures in the exact order. Please, consider to print this guide or have another computer at your disposal. You will NOT need any USB sticks or CDs.

STEP 1: Track down Zip4NewTab related processes in the computer memory

STEP 2: Locate Zip4NewTab startup location

STEP 3: Delete Zip4NewTab traces from Chrome, Firefox and Internet Explorer

STEP 4: Undo the damage done by the virus

STEP 1: Track down Zip4NewTab related processes in the computer memory

• Open your Task Manager by pressing CTRL+SHIFT+ESC keys simultaneously
• Carefully review all processes and stop the suspicious ones.

• Write down the file location for later reference.

Step 2: Locate Zip4NewTab startup location

Reveal Hidden Files

• Open any folder
• Click on “Organize” button
  
• Choose “Folder and Search Options”
• Select the “View” tab
• Select “Show hidden files and folders” option
• Uncheck “Hide protected operating system files”
• Click “Apply” and “OK” button

Clean Zip4NewTab virus from the windows registry

• Once the operating system loads press simultaneously the Windows Logo Button and the R key.

• A dialog box should open. Type “Regedit”

• WARNING! be very careful when editing the Microsoft Windows Registry as this may render the system broken.

Depending on your OS (x86 or x64) navigate to:

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run] or
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run] or
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run]

• and delete the display Name: [RANDOM]

• Then open your explorer and navigate to: %appdata% folder and delete the malicious executable.

Clean your HOSTS file to avoid unwanted browser redirection

Navigate to %windir%/system32/Drivers/etc/host

If you are hacked, there will be foreign IPs addresses connected to you at the bottom. Take a look below:

STEP 3 : Clean Zip4NewTab traces from Chrome, Firefox and Internet Explorer

• Open Google Chrome

• In the Main Menu, select Tools then Extensions
• Remove the Zip4NewTab by clicking on the little recycle bin
• Reset Google Chrome by Deleting the current user to make sure nothing is left behind

• Open Mozilla Firefox

• Press simultaneously Ctrl+Shift+A
• Disable the unwanted Extension
• Go to Help
• Then Troubleshoot information
• Click on Reset Firefox

• Open Internet Explorer

• On the Upper Right Corner Click on the Gear Icon
• Click on Internet options
• go to Toolbars and Extensions and disable the unknown extensions
• Select the Advanced tab and click on Reset

• Restart Internet Explorer

Step 4: Undo the damage done by Zip4NewTab

This particular Virus may alter your DNS settings.

Attention! this can break your internet connection. Before you change your DNS settings to use Google Public DNS for Zip4NewTab, be sure to write down the current server addresses on a piece of paper.

To fix the damage done by the virus you need to do the following.

• Click the Windows Start button to open the Start Menu, type control panel in the search box and select Control Panel in the results displayed above.
• go to Network and Internet
• then Network and Sharing Center
• then Change Adapter Settings
• Right-click on your active internet connection and click properties. Under the Networking tab, find Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4). Left click on it and then click on properties. Both options should be automatic! By default it should be set to “Obtain an IP address automatically” and the second one to “Obtain DNS server address automatically!” If they are not just change them, however if you are part of a domain network you should contact your Domain Administrator to set these settings, otherwise the internet connection will break!!!

You must clean all your browser shortcuts as well. To do that you need to

• Right click on the shortcut of your favorite browser and then select properties.

• in the target field remove Zip4NewTab argument and then apply the changes.
• Repeat that with the shortcuts of your other browsers.
• Check your scheduled tasks to make sure the virus will not download itself again.

How to Permanently Remove Zip4NewTab Virus (automatic) Removal Guide

Please, have in mind that once you are infected with a single virus, it compromises your whole system or network and let all doors wide open for many other infections. To make sure manual removal is successful, we recommend to use a free scanner of any professional antimalware program to identify possible registry leftovers or temporary files.